Everything You Should Know About Strawberries in California
If your students love strawberries, they should probably thank a Golden State farmer, because about 90% of American strawberries grow right here in California. Sprinkled onto yogurt or plucked straight from a fruit tray, sweet strawberries are one of spring’s greatest delights. It’s no wonder we adore them: They’re equally
Meet the Ojai Pixie Tangerine: A Sweet Treat Students Love
Between conferences and standardized testing, spring can be a busy time for California schools like yours. But there’s a bright spot that nutrition services can look forward to every year, along with spring break: sweet Ojai Pixie tangerines, perfect for student snacking! What’s an Ojai Pixie Tangerine? Ojai Pixie tangerines
Meet a Farm-to-School Grower: Leo Diaz of Bonita Farms
Ask Farmer Leo Diaz of Bonita Farms why he loves working his fields in Southern California, and his voice lights up with excitement. “What keeps me going is the satisfaction of knowing I’m able to provide fresh fruits and veggies to communities,” he told The FruitGuys. “They’re getting healthy produce,
Best Practices and Tips for Food Safety in Schools
Peek into one of The FruitGuys’ facilities on a day when pre-cut produce arrives, and you’ll see our operations team in full secret service mode. A temperature-controlled truck pulls up to the loading dock, and they jump into the back to check the temperature of the truck and the sliced
Fun Holiday Fruit Traditions to Share with Your Students
Most American students are familiar with a set of local holiday stories and traditions, from Santa Claus and Rudolph to the ball drop on New Year’s Eve. But there’s a wide world of holiday fun out there—and a lot of it involves healthy fruit! By bringing these traditions into your
School Nutrition Trends and Takeaways from CSNA 2025
Most people hand out candy on Halloween, but not our Farm-to-School Team! We spent the day at the Pasadena Convention Center giving away fresh fruit, tote bags, and smiles instead. Halloween 2025 just happened to fall during the California School Nutrition Association’s Annual Conference (CSNA), one of our favorite events
Why Staff & Teacher Appreciation Gifts Matter (Gift Ideas Inside)
Imagine you could wave a magic wand and make your district’s staff and teachers happier and more engaged at work. Would you take the opportunity? Of course you would! And it turns out you don’t need magic to make it happen—you just need to show them some appreciation. A 2024
Meet the Finger Lime: A Tasty Snack for Students
California finger lime farmers Justin Warren and Megan Shanley Warren have three school-aged sons—and they all love finger limes. Megan told The FruitGuys that when she does the laundry, she often finds the little fruits in her boys’ pockets! “Finger limes are really fun for kids because they’re super easy
How to Unlock Free Nutrition Education Materials for Your Students
These days, grants that fund fresh produce in K–12 schools often ask nutrition services directors to jump through an extra hoop. Not only do you need to buy local fruits and veggies, but you also need to teach kids about them! That’s where student nutrition education materials come in. What
Nutrition Services Back-to-School Toolkit: 5 Tips for a Smooth Year
Every new school year brings a lot of pressure for nutrition services directors. It’s up to you to make sure your staff is trained and prepared, your students have nutritious options, and your program helps educate them on healthier choices. That’s a lot to juggle—which is why we put together
5 Ways to Make Your Back-to-School Events More Fun
Back-to-school nights, open houses, and meet-the-teacher days are packed full of important information for parents and kids—but that doesn’t mean they have to be boring. Here are five ways to make your back-to-school events more fun this year without skipping the paperwork. 1. Gamify must-do tasks. Who doesn’t love games?
Healthy Snacks for Summer Programs: 11 Kid-Approved Favorites
Summer programs keep students moving, learning, and playing—but all of that activity takes fuel. Luckily, there are plenty of nutritious and delicious snack options out there. To help you pick the best ones, we’ve rounded up our top healthy snacks for summer programs. They’re great for students or staff (because